Earlier today on the House floor, Representative Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) offered an amendment to strike the prohibition on fee-for-service in the defund language.  This would have allowed for slaughterhouses to pay the USDA for part of their inspections and resume operation.  She claimed people should be able to pay for their own inspections and it wouldn’t cost taxpayers anything.  Of course, that isn’t true.  Individuals wouldn’t be paying for these inspections, the foreign owned plants would.  Furthermore, even a fee-for-service program costs federal tax dollars.  The slaughterhouses would only pay a small portion of the USDA inspector’s salary.  The taxpayer would pay most of their salary, benefits, training, etc…  As horse welfare champion Representative Jim Moran noted in his speech in opposition to the amendment on the floor, it would also pull critical inspectors away from our own food safety oversight. Fee-for-service is basically another taxpayer subsidy for corporations.

After debate on her amendment was concluded, Representative Lummis withdrew it from consideration and the House moved on to the next item on the agenda. We can be assured horse slaughter proponents are not going away on this issue.  Their arguments persist and have become very emotional therefore horse owners and those concerned about the welfare of America’s horses must continue to contact their legislators in support of a permanent ban on horse slaughter.

Thankfully, Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) and Representative Dan Burton (R-IN) were on the floor to talk about overwhelming support for the full ban.  AWI commends them for their continued leadership on this important issue.

To view this eAlert online, please visit: http://www.awionline.org/ht/display/ContentDetails/i/42301/pid/11187.

Sincerely,
Chris Heyde
Deputy Director, Government and Legal Affairs
Animal Welfare Institute
www.awionline.org

Washington, D.C. (May 31, 2011) — In yet another resounding victory for America’s horses, the House Appropriations Committee voted in favor of language sponsored by Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) prohibiting the U.S. Department of Agriculture from spending tax dollars on inspecting horse slaughter facilities. The language, originally passed into law back in 2005, has halted horse slaughter operations for years, but for some reason, was not included in the current Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations bill approved by the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee late last week.

“The Animal Welfare Institute commends Representative Jim Moran for his introduction of the amendment restoring this important language before the full Committee,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for AWI.  “Representative Moran and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) spoke strongly about the need for this amendment while pointing out now is not the time to start spending tax dollars to prop up a foreign owned and driven industry that prays on the suffering of American horses.”

While the amendment was approved by the House Appropriations Committee, AWI will remain vigilant to ensure horse slaughter proponents do not try other tactics to have it removed as the bill makes its way to the full House for a vote or even in the Senate when the time comes.

For more information:
Chris Heyde, 202-446-2142